Wardrobe suitcase



JHM 18. 1929- J. M. GALLowAY' wARDRoBE suITcAsE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 14, 1928 INVENTR.

June 18, 1929. J, M GALLQWAY 1,717,841

wAnDRoBE sUITcAsE Filed Feb. 414, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a v 2a /c/O l /b 7 Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES JAMES M. GALIOIJKVAY, F MONMOUTH, ILLINOIS.

WARDROBE SUITCASE.

Application led February 14, 1928. Serial No. 254,174.

This invention is a novel wardrobe suitcase, and is an in'iprovement on the portable wardrobe shown in my. U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,408,284, dated February 28, 1922. The

principal object of the present invention is to provide a combined wardrobe and suitcase in which the wardrobe extension parts are capable of being folded in a compact position and contained within the cover of the suitcase, the same being also capable of ready extension to provide a wardrobe in which the clothes or the like carried in the suitcase can be loosely suspended upon coat hangers or the like to prevent creasing.

Other minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings which illus- 'trate one practical embodiment thereof te enable others to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the wardI robe in extended position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly broken away, showing the parts of the wardrobe extension members folded and lying under the flap of the cover of the suitcase;

Fig. 2qv is a plan view of the body of the suitcase, partly broken away, showing the tray and corner socket construction;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3*3, Fig. 2a; also showing one upright inserted in the socket;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing the corner construction of the body of the suitcase;

Fig. 6 shows enlarged detail views of the members of the hinge.

As shown in the drawings, my invention in its present embodiment comprises a suitcase which includes a body portion l on which is hingedly supported a cover 2, the connection between the cover 2 and body portion l being such as to permit ready separation of the cover from the body. To this end hinges are provided in which one section 3 thereof is permanently secured to the body l, the other section 4 being permanently secured to the cover 2, and the connection between the two members being such that when flap 2a the cover is thrown back into open position the section 4 can be readily lifted out of engagement with section 3 to permit removal of the cover 2. Hinge member 3, as shown in Fig. 6 carries the usual hinge bolt 3a supported in spaced bearings 3b, and the hinge member 4 is provided with spaced open claws 4a adapted to engage the bolt 3fL and to normally hinge thereon but when the cover 2 is 1n open position the claws 4a may be readily lifted out of engagement with the bolt 3a and the cover removed.

The body l may be provided with the usual lifting strap la, and the meeting edges of the cover and body provided with the usual clasps lb, and lock le. The wardrobe suitcase resembles in. all respects an ordinary suitcase, when foldec.

The cover 2 is extensibly associated with the body portion 1 of the suitcase through the medium of uprights 8 hereinafter described.

In the top of the cover 2 of the suitcase is a flap 2a hinged along its rear side in any desired manner, said flap embracing the entire area of the cover and having tabs 2b at the opposite outer corners provided with snaps 2c adapted to engage buttons 2d on the sides of the cover 2, whereby the Hap may be locked and the wardrobe uprights, curtain, and other parts folded as hereinafter described and normally packed between the and top of the cover, thereby occupying a minimum amount of space.

The body portion l of the suitcase is adapted in the usual manner for carrying various articles of clothing, etc., and is preferably also provided wtih a tray 5 adapted to fit within the body, the same normally resting on metallic strips 5a, preferably light angle irons, disposed at each end of the body between the top and bottom edges thereof. The corners of the tray are cut away as at 5b to allow for sockets 6 hereinafter described for the wardrobe uprights.

In the four upper corners of the body of the suit-case, directly above the tray supports 5a, are secured square vsocket members f 6 preferably bolted or otherwise secured to the walls of the body and adapted to receive the lower ends of the square uprights 8 of the wardrobe frame, the lower ends of which uprights rest upon the tray supports 5a. The sockets 6 may be of any desir-ed type and by cutting away the corners of the tray 5 the uprights may be inserted in sockets 6 whether the tray 5 is in the body or removed therefrom.

Similarly, cove-r 2 is provided with square sockets 7, like those of the body, at each corner thereof adapted to receive lthe upper yends of the square uprights 8 which support the cover 2 above the body 1 as shown in Fig. l, the flap 2a of the cover being opened and hanging down at the back of the wardrobe as shown in Fig. l to permit entry of the upper ends of the uprights 8 into the sockets 7 of the cover.

VEach of the four uprights 8 is of overall length slightly less than twice the length of the cover 2, and is broken and hinged at its center as at Su and adapted when folded to fit within the cover above the flap 2n as shown in Fig. 2. On one member of each upright 8 adjacent the break is a pin 8b adapted to be engaged by a. perforation in a spring clip 8C mounted on the other member of the upright when the upright is extended as shown in Fig. 3 to maintain the same extended. By slightly raising the free end of the clip Se with the thumb or a suitable tool the pin S" can be readily disengaged from the clip 8C andthe upright folded for packing.

For the purpose of loosely suspending the clothing on coat hangers or the like within the wardrobe when the latter is in extended position a plurality of clothes hangers 9 are provided, the samebeing adapted'to be suspended from a rod l() removably secured at its ends in sockets l()a disposed at the center of each side member of the cover 2 above lthe Hap 2a, as shown in Figs. l and 2. In order that the folded uprights 8 may lie flat against the top of cover 2, rod 10 is removable from its sockets l()a and may be loosely carried within the cover 2 above thefilap 2a, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, along with the uprights 8 and a curtain l1.

As clearly shown in Fie'. l the wardrobe frame is adapted to be encompassed by a curtain 11, which;` is preferably made of light fabric, and is provided with suitable fastenings such as snaps or the like to secure it to the cover 2, body l, and to the uprights 8 when the wardrobe is set up, while permitting the curtain to be readily disengaged at the front of the wardrobe for removal of clothing from or insertion of clothing into the wardrobe, the curtain when closed normally excluding dust and the like. The p articular form of fastening forms no part of the present invention, and may be such as disclosed in my aforesaid patent.

The wardrobe suitcase is light and durable and may be readily packed and carried from place to place like an ordinary suitcase, and whenever desired the extension members may be used to convert the suitcase into a. wardrobe in order that the articles of clothing may be loosely suspended from coat hangers or the like to prevent creasing of the clothing. The extension members oecupy a mininniim of space above the flap of thel cover, and are of minimum weight.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.`

I claim:

i. A wardrobe suitcase, comprising an article holding body; a cover removably hinged to said body; supports within the body adjacent the upper end thereof and disposed alongeach end thereof; a tray resting upon the supports and having its corners cut away; socket members in each corner of the body immediately above the supports; a hinged iiap within the cover; and socket members in each corner of the cover between the flap and top of the cover.

2. In a wardrobe suitcase as set forth in claim at, the socket members being open at their tops and bottoms; the supports forming the bottoms of the body sockets, and the top of the cover forming the tops of the cover sockets.

3. In a Wardrobe having a cover mounted upon `uprights; an article holding body; supports within the body; a tray resting upon said supports; and socketv members immediately above the supports for receiving the lower ends of the uprights; the tray in way of the sockets being cut away.

4. In a wardrobe having a cover mounted upon uprights; an article holding body; supports within the body disposed along opposite ends thereof; a tray resting upon said supports; and socket members above each end of the supports for receiving the lower ends of the uprights; the tray in way of the sockets being cut away.

5. In a wardrobe having a cover mounted upon uprights; an article holding rectangular body; supports within the body adjacent the upper edge thereof and disposed along opposite ends of the body, a tray resting upon said supports; and socket members in each corner of the body immediately above the supports for receiving the lower ends of the upright-s; of the tray in way of the sockets being cut away, and the uprights resting upon the supports.

J AMES M. GALLOWAY. 

